Jiggs Dinner (Newfoundland Boiled Dinner)
In short: Salted beef simmered with cabbage, carrots, turnip and potatoes in one pot, the traditional Sunday dinner of Newfoundland and Labrador. It takes about 3 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 3 h 20 min
- Resting
- 8 h
- Total
- 3 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 700 kcal
Jiggs dinner is the traditional Sunday meal of Newfoundland, a one-pot boiled dinner built around salted beef. The beef simmers with potatoes, carrots, turnip and cabbage, and a pease pudding of yellow split peas cooks in the same broth. Everything is served with spoonfuls of the rich cooking liquid, often with mustard pickles on the side. Salt beef needs to soak overnight to draw out the brine, so plan ahead.
Instructions
- Rinse the soaked beef and put it in a large pot with the onion, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover with fresh cold water by 5 cm (2 in), bring to a boil and skim off the foam.
- Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.
- Tie the split peas loosely in a clean cloth, leaving room for them to swell. Push the bag under the liquid and simmer for 1 1/2 hours more.
- Add the turnip and carrots and cook for 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, then add the cabbage and cook 15 minutes more, until the vegetables and the beef are tender.
- Lift the beef onto a board and rest it for 10 minutes, loosely covered. Lift out the vegetables with a slotted spoon.
- Open the cloth and mash the peas with the pepper and butter, if using, until smooth. Slice the beef across the grain and serve with the vegetables, pease pudding, some broth and mustard pickles.
Tips
- Salt beef is very salty. Soak it overnight, change the water once or twice, and taste the broth before adding any salt, since it rarely needs it.
- Leftover beef and vegetables are traditionally chopped and fried the next day as a crisp hash.
Questions and answers
What is Jiggs dinner?
It is a traditional Newfoundland boiled dinner of salt beef, potatoes, carrots, turnip and cabbage, usually with pease pudding. It is eaten on Sundays and at holidays.
What is salt beef?
Salt beef is brisket preserved in a heavy salt brine. It is like corned beef but saltier, and it must be soaked before cooking.
Can I use corned beef instead of salt beef?
Yes. Brisket corned beef needs only 1 to 2 hours of soaking and cooks in about 2 1/2 hours.
How long does it take to make Jiggs Dinner (Newfoundland Boiled Dinner)?
About 3 h 50 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 3 h 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Jiggs Dinner (Newfoundland Boiled Dinner)?
About 700 kcal per serving, with 47 g of protein, 78 g of carbohydrates and 22 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 700 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 47 g |
| Carbohydrates | 78 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 18 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Sodium | 1900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
